| Hoodia Bainii, succulent plant - Bushman's hat Shipped in a 6.5cm pot The photo shows how it flowers photo by Magnus Bjrlin Do not overwater, water when dry and very little in winter Description:
Hoodia bainii has been known for quite a long time and was described in 1878. It is a local or morphological form of the variable Hoodia gordonii. It is an erect bushily branched, leafless, and spiny succulent plant similar to a cactus distinguished by the stems covered with tubercles, ending in long, woody spines. In the early stages only one stem is produced but at a later stage the plant produces clusters of upright stem from the base. Mature plants can have as many as 50 individual branches. Plants under ideal conditions can attain a height of 40 (or more) cm and can under ideal conditions live for 25 years in cultivation. In the wild they probably don't live much longer than 15 years. The flowers are saucer-shaped, slightly five lobed, dull yellow or buff coloured, fading to reddish or purple, often smaller than in H. gordonii and evil smelling. Blooming season:
Flowers are normally borne in August or September. Hoodia takes duration of 5 years to be completely mature, till its flowers appear. Fruits (follicles):
Terete-fusiform, resembling small antelope or goat horns, 10-13 (or more) cm long, 10-12 mm thick, tapering to a beak, glabrous, smooth. Seeds:
The seeds are light brown in colour, smooth, 6-7 mm long, 3 mm broad, ovate, flat, with a slightly thickened margin, and have a pappus of fluffy hair attached to their one end. This pappus acts as a parachute when the seed pod splits open. The seeds are blown some distance from the parent plant where they will establish themselves. -
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